


Guardians

by robotrolecall



Category: EarthBound, mother 2
Genre: Comfort, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 22:08:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17568824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotrolecall/pseuds/robotrolecall
Summary: Things get pretty deep when you’re stuck in a small space underneath a cemetery.





	1. Chapter 1

“Ness, how many hours has it been since we’ve been stuck?” asked a young, blonde-haired girl. 

“It’s only been around eight hours. We were asleep most of the time.” a stocky, teenage boy replied directly, tapping his watch. 

He was laying on his side, his back facing the girl on the cold, hard floor of the cell. The only thing she could see was the blue and yellow stripes on Ness’ shirt. They were cornered by zombies that overtook the once peaceful town of Threed, and as a result were imprisoned underneath the cemetery. 

“Paula, have you… gotten any news regarding Jeff?” Ness turned his body around, observing his friend who was kneeling on the floor cradling a tattered, old teddy bear. 

“Jeff should have gotten the message I intercepted to him by now,” her grip on the teddy bear increased, restless and anxious to be released from the cell. “However I don’t expect him to be here any time soon. It’s a matter of patience.” Paula heard Ness groan as he cracked the bones in his back. 

“Guess the floor isn’t too comfortable.” She giggled. 

“You think?” He snorted. “We should’ve brought a blanket or something...”

“We didn’t know we were going to be pummeled by a bunch of undead creatures, Ness. It was kind of out of our control.” Paula said solemnly as she trailed her fingers over the flooring. 

“Who is this Jeff guy anyways? How do you know he’ll save us?” Ness queried, lifting himself up. He had psychic abilities much like Paula, though his powers were focused on healing and communicating with animals. Paula’s psychic abilities ranged from pyrokinesis, electrokinesis, and cryokinesis, along with telepathy. 

“I just know it,” she began while her friend sat down next to her, pretzel-legged. 

“I’m certain that he received my telepathic message. We were destined to save the world, Ness. Jeff is not only a vital asset, but will be a great friend and companion.” 

She gazed into Ness’ eyes, which were glazed in uncertainty. 

“Trust me.”

The worry in Ness’ eyes were soothed. 

“I trust you,” he said warmly. “I always will.”

“And so will I.”


	2. Chapter 2

Six more hours passed. The two friends were getting more exhausted, and more concerned. Every now and then there would be a clanging sound which was eerily similar to metal, signifying that they indeed were in a cell. The noises brought relief too, though, for it revealed that there was an underground path to escape once freed. The door was locked from the inside, however. No abilities that Paula or Ness harnessed could break the lock.

Ness leaned against the wall, his bandage laden knees up to his chest. The light in the cell was a violet blue, but reflected on his skin and clothes as a fluorescent but dim pink. Paula rested her back on the floor, holding her teddy bear to her chest as she stared at the ceiling.

“I was so close to just busting myself out of there but I was in no position to confront Mr. Carpainter. There being the prison cell in Peaceful Rest Valley. I was exhausted and didn’t have the focus to use my abilities. It was _your_ job to face him.” She emphasized.

“That’s understandable.” Ness blinked, a bit surprised at Paula’s comments.

“You gave me your Franklin Badge to protect me from Carpainter’s lightning attack, too. Without it… I wouldn’t be here right now. You saved my life.”

 “And you saved mine. We saved each other.”

  _We saved each other,_ Ness repeated to himself. Her words made him feel warm and strong, but he also realized how valuable Paula’s life was to him and how heavy that responsibility was. He couldn’t let her down.

Paula felt at ease being able to confide in her ally. She was also aware of the huge responsibilities on her shoulders. Ness’ life was just as valuable to her.

They both felt the need to protect one another, and there was a mutual feeling that they would be successful at doing just that.       

Ness patted the ground next to him, gesturing Paula to take a seat beside him. Paula propped herself up and happily sat down next to him.

“Everyone in Twoson cares about you. Your family was worried _sick_ about you! I honestly was really intimidated by your dad. I didn’t want to let him or the the people of Twoson down. It felt like the entire world was on my shoulders. Literally speaking, it essentially was.”

Paula nodded in agreement.

“You didn’t let anybody down. You didn’t let me down, either. If you did, would I be here with you?” she reaffirmed while adjusting the white collar to her pink dress.

“And the weight of the world a lot less heavier now. I’m carrying it too.”

Ness smiled tenderly. He wasn’t alone. “I hope your dad likes me, even if I only interacted with him briefly...” he murmured, fidgeting with a stray string of his striped shirt.

“Of course he does! Maybe… when all of this world saving stuff is done you could come over. My mom could make steak! You like it medium rare correct?” Paula said cheerfully.

“Yes I do!” He shot up enthusiastically. “And I’d love that, to have dinner with you, no matter how long it would take to save the world.” Ness replies, his face somewhat flushed at Paula’s offering. He removed his red baseball cap and fluffed up his jet black hair using his hand.

“Sorry, I just needed to let my hair breathe for a second. You gotta be well coiffed when doing heroic duties.”

“I don’t see an issue with that.” she snorted out of laugher.

Ness was quiet for a brief moment. All the talk about family, and returning home for dinner reminded him of his mother. He missed her home cooking of medium rare steak seared on a cast iron skillet served with broccoli. He missed his little sister Tracy and taking her out for walks. He missed his dog King, playing fetch and giving him tummy rubs. He missed his father, whom he didn’t even know all that well. There was something about his over-the-phone words of encouragement that brought peace to him. He could feel a wave of loneliness overtake him.

Paula saw he was visibly upset. He was twiddling his thumbs vigorously, his cap concealing his eyes, only showing his sullen face.

“Ness, is something the matter? Do you want to talk about it?” She queried.

“...Paula, I have a question for you.” He asked.

“Hm?”

“Do you ever miss home?”

“Of course I do. It’s only human, Ness. There’s no shame in being homesick.” Paula said, consoling him by placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Well when I get homesick, it gets really bad. Sometimes I lose motivation to fight, or I even get distracted because I’m stuck in my own thoughts.” Ness explained.

Paula blinked in realization. “That’s… that’s probably why sometimes you missed attacks or got hit by an enemy when you could’ve avoided it!” she exclaimed. “I don’t blame you for that, and I’m sorry that you’re missing home.”

“What do you do to cure homesickness? Usually calling my mom helps but sometimes we don’t have access to a phone.” he asked the young lady.

“Well when I’m homesick, I remember that I’m my family’s guardian angel. Twoson’s guardian angel. When I think about watching over them, it makes me feel less alone and comforted. Maybe you could picture yourself as your family’s guardian angel. Think about how this journey is for the safety of them, for not only your future but theirs as well.”

Paula’s words eased Ness yet again. “That’s a really good idea. Thank you so much.”

“It’s no problem. That’s what friends are for, right?” She grinned.

“Right.”


	3. Chapter 3

“It’s been around two and a half months since your journey began. A lot has changed.” Paula told him.    

“I know, it’s crazy. It’s technically our journey now, no?”

Paula nodded. “Correct.”

“One month ago I was in Onett, and one and half months later we’re stuck underground waiting for some kid across the world to save us. Who would’ve thought…” Ness ran his hand through his hair again. Paula turned her head, a bit confused by his comment. 

“Was the last part sarcasm?” There was an air of worry in her tone. 

“ _Please_ don’t doubt what Jeff’s capabilities are.” She frowned. 

Ness was startled by her worries. “That’s not what I mean at all, Paula,” his hand was on her shoulder now.  “I believe in him.” He declared truthfully. 

“Phew, that’s a relief. Thank you for clarifying.” she said graciously. 

“Don’t worry about it. Even though we’re in a sticky situation, I try to stay as humorous as possible in times like these. I always try to lighten up the mood.” 

“That’s a great thing to do! Humor is really powerful. It’s okay to laugh every now and then especially during times of adversity.” Paula could still sense that Ness was still upset, both from his homesickness and misunderstanding. 

She noticed his backpack was plopped next to her. She grabbed ahold of it, undid the zipper, and rummaged through it, searching through the treasure trove of various items and weapons. There were stockpiles of various foods and beverages. It was a miracle that they had a sizable ration of food and drinks. She felt around the various foodstuffs until she found what she was looking for. It was circular and a bit squishy. 

“Ness, I know this is nothing like your mom’s cooking, but have this burger. You’re probably famished.” She held a cheeseburger still in its wax paper wrapping, placing it onto Ness’ empty palms. 

“Thank you so much! I appreciate the sentiment. I’m not that hungry though, so we can split it.” He unwrapped the burger and ripped it in half as accurately as possible. He handed the slightly larger half to the psychic. They instantly chowed down in silence and ate vigorously. They were hungrier than they imagined. 

“You want a can of fruit juice?” Ness said in between bites of his fast food. 

“Sure.” Said Paula as she swallowed the last bit of her burger. He handed Paula a can of fruit juice, which was a blend of apple, pineapple, and berries. She lifted the pull tab and heard the can open with a satisfying crack. She took a small but sizable sip. 

“That’s refreshing. I don’t really have sugary drinks like this at home, so it’s a nice change of pace.”

“My mom gets Tracy and I fruit juices and sodas  _ all  _ the time. Though I really should cut back on it… I’m pretty heavy.” His voice trailed off. 

“Pssh, you’re fine, Ness!” Paula scoffed. “But seriously, your body is perfect just the way it is.”

Ness felt himself blush again. “T-thank you.”

Paula rested her fist on her cheek, staring at Ness jovially. The two friends had finished their meal and placed any garbage made from it into a makeshift trash bag. It was a plastic bag that came from a drugstore in Twoson.

“Are you gonna finish your fruit juice?” Asked Ness. “I don’t want any food to go to waste. Who knows how long it’ll be until Jeff comes, you know?”

“You can have the rest of it! It’s a bit too sweet for me.” Paula replied. “Though at most it should take Jeff about a week to arrive. We have enough food for the time being.” She handed him the aluminum can of fruit punch, which was half full. He chugged the container of artificially bright red liquid until it was dry. 

“Wanna see something cool?” 

“Sure.”

Ness took the empty can and slammed it onto his forehead, crushing it down to a flat piece of metal.

Paula gasped.  _ “That didn’t hurt your head?” _ She said, flabbergasted.

Ness cackled. “Of course it didn’t hurt!”

“Who taught you that? I thought only cool kids in movies did it…”

“The Sharks did. Frank, their leader, more specifically. This was after I confronted him, though. He’s a cool guy, so please don’t worry.” Ness felt slightly ashamed. 

“Why would I worry?” She said, snickering. “I don’t think anyone took the Sharks seriously other than the mayor and police force of Onett. They were just a bunch of rowdy teens who hung out at the arcade. You’re fine.”

“Thanks, Paula. You always have my back somehow and I really appreciate that.” Ness said appreciatively. 

“I always will.” She reassured him cordially. 


	4. Chapter 4

Two more hours passed. Ness was fiddling around with a yo-yo he found in his bag while Paula was making her teddy bear dance. 

“Ness, can I be frank with you for a minute?” She said, her voice barely audible. 

“What’s up?”

“...There was a part of me that thought you wouldn’t show up to rescue me back in Peaceful Rest Valley. That doubt in my mind was excruciating to deal with on my own. It’s why I sent you another message. It was that urgent, and I felt like I needed to let you know again.”

“Of course I was going to rescue you. You were in danger, and you could’ve died. Everyone in Twoson talked about how kind and sweet you were. I didn’t begrudgingly save you just because your town and family told me so. I saved you because I genuinely cared. Because of how much you meant to your family. Because of how much you meant to me.” Ness’ voice was tenderhearted. He put down his yo-yo and took Paula’s hand. 

“And you really are so sweet. You’re considerate of others, empathetic, you’re not afraid to put your foot down, you’re strong, you’re capable of doing great things, and you have potential to increase the power of your own psychic abilities. 

_ I could go on forever and ever talking about how great you are.” _

Paula felt herself become misty-eyed at her friend’s kind words.

“E-even though that doubt I had while waiting for you tried to overwhelm me,” she said, her voice shaking. 

“I still watched over you. I still had you in my thoughts and prayed for your safety.”

“So… you were my guardian angel?” Ness asked curiously. He felt his heart flutter as he uttered those words. 

“Precisely.”

“That means a lot, you know that? More than you’ll ever know.” Ness murmured. He began to gently stroke Paula’s hand using his thumb. She gazed into Ness’ eyes for a brief second before letting go of his palm. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly while burying her head into the crook of his shoulder. 

“I will always watch over you, Ness.” she sniffed, her voice muffled. 

Ness squeezed Paula securely. “Please don’t cry. There will  _ never  _ be a moment in time where I’d abandon you, Paula. I promise.”

The blonde psychic lifted her head up and wiped her eyes gingerly. “I trust you. I promise.” 

Ness and Paula hugged in silence for a little while. Ness’ heart was surprisingly not pounding out of his chest. He felt calm and affectionate, safe and secure.

“I can let go if you want. I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable.” Paula said remorsefully. 

“Huh? I’m not uncomfortable at all. This is the most comfortable I’ve been ever since I left home.” Ness said, attempting to ease her.  _ Never let go,  _ he thought. 

Paula rested her head on Ness’ shoulder again, this time turning her head so she could easily look at and talk to him audibly. They processed how serious the situation was, how they were trapped and alone for an indefinite amount of time until Jeff’s arrival. They didn’t realize how lonely they were until they had embraced one another.

“You make me feel at home,” said Ness. “I don’t think I’ll ever feel homesick as long as I’m next to you.” 

Paula couldn’t help but grin at Ness’ remarks. “I know that when I’m with you I feel at home.” she reaffirmed. At this point, a question had occupied the young girl’s mind, a question she felt like blurting out but was afraid to. She couldn’t be impulsive. She felt herself grow nervous, her heart pounding fast, her hands becoming clammy. 

“Paula, are you okay?” Ness questioned. She rose her head to speak but nothing could come out of her mouth. She had a distressed look in her eyes. 

Ness cupped his hands onto her face. “Please talk to me, I’m here for you.” Paula’s eyes became watery again as her lips quivered. 

“Ness?” She uttered. 

“Will you be my guardian angel?”

He couldn’t help but to hold her securely again. Tears streamed down his eyes as he cradled his companion.

“How could I say no to a request like that?” 

The tenseness that ran through Paula’s body was soothed. 

“I don’t know. But what I do know is that I want to be with you, with all my heart, forever and always.” She answered with confidence. 

“So do I. Forever.” Ness held onto Paula’s hand securely.

Ness and Paula had formed a bond so strong yet so compassionate that nothing could ever break or separate them both. A bond that was certain to last for a very long time, full of nothing but adventures and support. 


End file.
